Today's
3G networks in many areas leave a lot to be desired no matter what
carrier is used. The networks aren’t as fast as many users would
like and in both rural and urban areas, the coverage of the networks
is often patchy.

AT&T is the wireless provider that
catches the most grief over its 3G network. This is particularly true
with iPhone users who complain about a high percentage of dropped
calls and slow data speeds. AT&T's network quality angered some
iPhone users to the point that some were calling for a mass assault
dubbed Operation
Chokehold where users would all go online at the same time
in an attempt to crash the AT&T network. This operation was a
response to AT&T's threat to charge
iPhone users more for using their unlimited data
plans.

AT&T is working hard to fix its network issues and
has pledged to spend huge sums of money in 2010 to improve its
infrastructure with faster
HSPA 7.2 speeds and preparations for the roll out of the
AT&T LTE network late this year and in 2011. AT&T today
announced that it has chosen the LTE equipment suppliers that will
provide it with equipment to power its LTE network.

AT&T
named Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson as the equipment
suppliers for the LTE network deployment. Both of the
suppliers are currently providing gear to AT&T for its 3G
networks. AT&T reports that it tested equipment from many
manufacturers in the field and in the lab and ultimately chose to
extend the current relationships with Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson
already in place.

One key to the decision was that both
network hardware providers would provide AT&T with 3G equipment
for its network today that can easily be upgraded for use with the
faster HSPA 7.2 speeds coming soon and future LTE networks. This will
prevent AT&T from needing to install new equipment in towers that
it adds this year.

“The selection of Alcatel-Lucent and
Ericsson is an important step forward in our ongoing mobile broadband
strategy, which is focused on delivering the best possible
combination of speed, performance and available devices for customers
at every level of technology deployment,” said John Stankey,
president and CEO, AT&T Operations. “AT&T has a key
advantage in that LTE is an evolution of the existing GSM family of
technologies that powers our network and the vast majority of the
world’s global wireless infrastructure today. As some competitors
move away from their existing investment in niche 3G platforms, we
are able to efficiently and quickly move toward LTE while enhancing
our existing 3G performance and providing access to a strong
ecosystem of customer devices.”

Part of the agreement also
names Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson as the domain suppliers for the
AT&T Radio Access Network Domain covering the equipment needed to
deliver LTE service to customers. No financial terms for the deal
with either provider were offered. AT&T claims that it has twice
the number of smartphone users as its closest competitor and that its
mobile broadband traffic has grown 5000% in the last three years,
which goes right along with the introduction of the iPhone.

Verizon
is also set to introduce LTE networks late in 2010 and in 2011 to its
customers after originally stating LTE networks could
debut in 2009.

"We shipped it on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we rested." -- Steve Jobs on the iPad launch